U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,827, Rosenberger, hydroxy-beta-ionone ##STR1## a known intermediate for canthaxanthin has been produced from alpha-ionone via epoxidation and ring opening. While this is an efficient process, it is desired to produce the compound of formula I from a more readily available starting material than alpha-ionone such a beta-ionone.
In the past, monolefins have been acyloxylated electrochemically. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,022, Koehl Jr. June 3, 1969. While this process has been useful with monolefins such as cyclohexene, this process has not been applied to polyolefins let alone polyolefin containing an oxo substituent.